Regular readers of this article will know only too well that puppy farming is a big issue and there is a thriving black market in puppies.

A litter of pups can yield several thousand pounds and so they are a ’quick buck’ for unscrupulous breeders and dealers.

If you must buy a puppy, or you know someone who intends to buy one in the run up to Christmas, then please be aware of the latest scams (and remember ’a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’).

The image of a puppy farm is of cold, dirty outhouses filled with breeding bitches and their pups.

While these places undoubtedly exist, both on the Isle of Man and off it, the puppy buyer is often invited to an intermediary’s house - often a smart residential house that will create a good first impression.

The seller will know that we have all been advised to see a puppy’s mother before we buy, and so they will duly bring out mum, or at least a possible mum.

And here’s the scam - mum will be brought in for viewing in the arms of the seller and not put down on the ground. A yarn will be spun about hygiene, but if she was put on the ground it may be more obvious that she is unhappy or unhealthy.

She may even scuttle away as she is probably terrified of human contact, certainly not socialised and not a normal, happy dog.

And her puppies will also be similarly afflicted.

The second scam is that the puppy seller will arrange to meet a buyer at an arranged location, often a motorway service station, because they are ’already in the area’.

Liverpool and Heysham ports also seem to be popular ’meeting points’.

A female dog may well be in the seller’s vehicle and will be passed off as the mother, but once the buyer has that adorable pup in their arms they will be an easy target for the seller’s sales pitch.

People routinely travel from the island to pick up puppies in the UK, and it is more important than ever that buyers do their research and only buy from accredited sellers.

All the major animal welfare organisations recommend using a ’puppy contract’ which can be found at www.puppycontract.rspca.org.uk.

It helps buyers with the checks they need to make before they buy a puppy, and gives them some legal recourse should the puppy they buy become unwell.

A bona fide breeder will always provide at least four weeks’ free pet insurance with a puppy which, again, will help with any post-purchase health issues.

Given there are no guarantees that a puppy will turn out the way you hope it will, adopting a dog from a well-regulated rescue centre is a much better alternative. You can take your time with the adoption process to make sure the dog suits you and your family, and the dog’s behavioural traits and personality will already been known.

Some adoptions take place relatively quickly, but sometimes it takes weeks of ’getting-to-know-you’ sessions and ’sleep-overs’ before a dog is finally adopted.

Some of our longer-stay dogs have benefitted from this process and it’s wonderful to see new owners’ patience and commitment.

This is exactly what Blue, the Labrador cross, is looking for - he needs extra special new owners who will see this handsome dog’s potential.

His lack of confidence holds him back, and so he needs the opportunity to build up a trusting relationship with owners who will be calm and consistent, and committed to his ongoing training.

Blue is only four years old and while he might not have the instant appeal of a puppy, he has the potential to be the ’dog of a lifetime’.

It is so much more rewarding to adopt a dog and to give him or her a second chance of happiness. Could you give Blue the most amazing Christmas gift of all - a loving home?